The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

ILLINOIS INCIDENTS, SOBER OR STARTLING, FAITH­ FULLY RECORDED. CLarge Block Burned at Moline-- Hang­ ing of Menzel at Springfield--Alton Colored People Win the First Battle- jS'ashville Opera House Burned. Mengel Dies on the Gallows. James Mengel, who murdered little Dol- Sie Briscoe on July 27 last year, paid the penalty of his crime 011 the gallows. The sentence of death was executed in the west corridor of the Sangamon County jail at Springfield, and was witnessed by 150 persons. Mengel bade "good-by" to the other prisoners as he passed them, promising to meet them all in heaven. He did not deny his guilt, but said everybody had forgiven him. The murder for which Mengel was hanged was peculiarly atro­ cious. Dollie Briscoe was the 15-months- old child of Mary Briscoe, with whom Mengel lived. He was jealous of the woman,, and, so far as could be learned, took this peculiar method of satisfying his passion. ./, , Opera House at Nashville I^urned, Fire completely destroyed the business, portion of West Main street at Nashville. The fire originated in the rear of the A11- kershiel Opera House, and two large brick buildings aji.d two frame ones were wiped out. A home talent, musical' had been given at tie ..opera house, and the audi­ ence had departed about a half-ho,ur be­ fore the lire was discovered. Loss and insurance-: Opera house $4,000; insurance $2,500; furnishings $500, 110 insurance; merchandise $2,800, no insurance; Wil­ liam Ankershiel, property, .$1,500, no in­ surance; .Milled & Burns, barbers, $800, insured; Ben Zacliers, shoe dealer, $100, no insurance; E. Y. Marshall, building, $2,S00, no insurance; J. M. Hassinger, building, $500, insured; P. E. Hosmer, building, $200, insured. Big Fire in Moline. The opera house of Moline, commonly known as the Auditorium, was totally de­ stroyed by fire. The fire started in the basement near the center of the structure and spread so rapidly that the families who lived in the building were obliged to escape by ladders. The total losses will aggregate $75,000. The building, which was erected about ten years ago by the Young Men's Christian Association at a cost of $35,000, was owned by Charles F. Hemenwa.v. Among those who lose heavily by the lire are the Porter Print­ ing Company, and Perry A. Merriman. Arnold's funniakers, who were billed to play the week, lost all their baggage and scenery, which they estimate at $4,000. Colored People's Victory. ~ The Alton public schools case regarding colored pupils having access to all schools was up in the Supreme Court the other day. The court sustained the petitions and arguments to the demurrer filed in an­ swer to the petition for mandamus. The Mayor and other citizens of Alton filed the answer, stating that they had certain rights and control over the schools of Alton, and it was to this the demurrer wo» made. The? sustaining of tho demur- rer by the court is a victory for the colored population of Alton. Gen. Palmer and John J. Brenliolt, attorneys for Scott Bibb, will shortly ask that a peremptory writ be issued compelling the school board of Alton to admit. Minnie and Ambrose Bibb to the Washington school. Village Looted by Thieves. The little village of Chesterville fell an easy prey for robbers and nearly every business house in the place suffered as a consequence. The thieves entered the grain office of B. F. Watson and rifled the safe, securing papers valued at nearly $2,- 000. The store of L. A. Dare was looted and relieved of clothing, shoes, hats and other articles amounting up into the hun­ dreds. Other business places suffered sim­ ilar losses, and the total cannot be esti­ mated. Run Down by a Train. Peter Berweiz, a farmer, (!0 years old, whose home was near Point Calumet, was struck by a passenger train of the Chi- (2j?ago and Eastern Illinois Railroad near South Holland raid instantly killed. Ber­ weiz was walking 011 one of the tracks when he noticed a freight train advancing upon him. He stepped to the other track, directly in front of the passenger train, and was hurled a distance of 200 feet. Brief State Happenings. Phil Ilerrell was probably fatally cut in a free fight at. Busliton. The plant of the Eureka Steam Latin- dry and Power Company of Eureka has been closed on a mortgage. Plans have been made for the remov&i of the W. B. Conkey Publishing Company from Chicago, to° Hammond, Ind. The com­ pany proposes to build the largest publish­ ing house in.the World. will share the losses and profits equally. Each has invested $500 in the general fund.. They expect to reach Alaska about the 15th of March and will locate on the Copperas river, near Copperas City. The company of gold mining enthusiasts organized around Peru left for Seattle. The party is equipped with a sawmill out­ fit, and while one-half of the party gets out lumber for the mining camps the re­ mainder will prospect for gold. The men G. W. Rhodes, superintendent of mo­ tive power of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad® who is an expert angler, gave a lecture bejpre the wage earners of Galesburg on "Salmon and Salmon Fish­ ing." State Fish Commissioner Bartlett and a number of members from fishing clubs of Quincy and Burlington were guests.' Mr. Rhodes' lecture was illus­ trated by material forwarded from Wash­ ington. He dwelt on the great importance of the fishing industry and the necessity of protecting fishes and their food. The salmon, he said, was being rapidly exter- minated, and lie contended that there was need of governmental restrictions.. Mrs. Martha Oertel, who claims she lives at Maywood, the Chicago suburb, was arrested in a second-hand store in St. Louis on n charge of shoplifting. At first she denied the charge, but when told the officers had enough evidence to convict her broke down and confessed. Walter Scott Davis of Chicago attempt­ ed suicide at the Brunswick rooming house in Denver, Colo. Money troubles nnd a family quarrel are said to be the cause and morphine the means used. Cora Holmes is dead at Decatur. She ran away from home last fall, fell sick and never recovered. James IIcss, a farmer living three miles north of Hinsdale, was seriously injured in a battle with rabbits. He was feeding his sheep when a large pack of the rabbits attacked him and, though lie fought val­ iantly he was driven intosMs barn and badly hurt. He stayed there-til! noon, and when the dinner bell rang he made a dash for the house, but was cut off and obliged to retreat into the stable again. At 4 o'clock the rabbits evidently gave up the siege and retired in fine order led by an old buck as large as a dog. The Trout Brothers' Electric Light Company of Shelbyville has gone into the bands of a .receiver.. Liabilities, $9,000; assets, $14,000 Near Lexington R. B. Fraxene was in-, stantly killed by the accidental discharge of a gun. • •• Mrs. Robert Staats, living near Ciscoe,. was fatally burned. Her clothing caught fire from the stove. The 4-year-old son of William Hibbs, east of Louisville, was, burned to .death. His mother left him alone aud went vis­ iting. Two men tied Henrjr Colstad in his own bed clothing at Chicago the other night and then robbed him of his overcoat and $2. Henry Harms of Chicago has purchas­ ed the Galesburg, Etherly and Eastern Railroad at a master's sale at Galesburg. for $70,000. Thomas A. Bean of Decatur pleaded guilty of using the mails for fraudulent purposes and was Sentenced to eighteen months in Chester penitentiary. Secretary Gage has recommended an additional appropriation of $2,^00 for the road from the Mound City national cem­ etery to Mound City and Mounds, besides that provided for in the bill approved July 19, 1897. Because Sergeant Morton Koomier ask­ ed a second plate of hominy and molasses at Fort Sheridan he is to be court mar- tialed.. His presumption in asking more than was given liim is construed as a violation orthe fort rules. ^ Dr. E. L. Holmes has retired as presi­ dent of Rush Medical College in Chicago, a position he" has held ten years, fie lias been thirty-eight years a member of the college faculty. He, will continue as emeritus professor of the .eye and ear. . , A horse which had fallen into the river from the Graham & Morton dock in Chi­ cago was drowned after struggling in the w-ater two hours. The fire tug Yosemite and firemen made heroic efforts to rescue the animal, but were unable to do so. Green Street Congregational Church, Chicago, by a unanimous vote has decid­ ed not to accept the resignation of its pas­ tor, Rev. C. O. Brown, who made a con­ fession recently to the truth of serious charges against him in San Francisco. The New York Store in Kankakee, un­ der the name of M. Jewell & Co., has as­ signed. Liabilities exceed $5,000, princi­ pally indebtedness to J. Y. Farwell & Co,, Leopold,& Simon of Chicago and the First National Bank of Kankakee. Assets are placed at $7,000. Four policemen were hurt during a fra­ cas started by medical students in Chi­ cago. Plaster casts were used as mis­ siles, police clubs came into play and finally thirty of .the disturbers were taken to the police station. The trouble start­ ed with a snowball fight. Secretary Stewart of the Decatur Y. M. C. A. has been notified by the State offi­ cers of a gift of $500 offered by Miss Helen Gould for a library for the Rail­ road Men's Y. M. C. A. building, to be erected there this summer. The Wabash pays one-half the expense of the building and business men of Decatur subscribed the other half. Joseph Godschalk, who defied the au­ thorities of Douglas County in an attempt to dispossess him of his eighty-acre farm, has lately won two victories from the State courts. Notwithstanding the watch that was kept on him, he managed to get out a temporary injunction against the sheriff's interfering with him, and this in­ junction has been made permanent. Gov. Tanner has granted a respite un­ til April 12 to Edward Shannon, who was under sentence to be hanged at Wheaton, The attorneys in the case argued before Gov. Tanner and a stay of execution was granted that the attorneys for the con­ demned man might apply to the State Board of Pardons for a commutation of sentence to that of life imprisonment. The ground 011 which the lawyers urge clem­ ency will be that of insanity. The Illinois Lumber Dealers' Associa­ tion has finished its eighth annual meeting at Chicago. It was decided to extend its benefits to the States of Indiana and Wisconsin. Officers were elected as fol­ lows: President, J. C. Simpson, Galeo- burg. 111.; vice-president, E. F. Hunter, Chillicothe; secretary and treasurer, T. F, Ahrens, Chicago; directors for three years, T. J. Bermingham of Galena, W, O. Houghton of Galva; director for tw« years, E. D. Munger, Waverly. (.'apron's church war is at an end, after two years of strife. The row was preeipV tated by the Methodist pastor, the Rev. William H. Tuttle. now located at He­ bron. The Rev. William Best came from Ripley, O., to take charge of the Christian Church, and soon after his advent ths Rev. Tuttle said that his brother minister had a shady past and gave as his author­ ity letters from the Rev. Mr. Abrams cf Ripley, O. Rev. Tuttle has published a full retraction in the local daily. Tascott, supposed murderer of Amos J. Snell of Chicago, has been "found" again. This time he has turned up in a Califor­ nia mining camp, and a miner has writ­ ten Chief Kipley about him. Snell was killed ten years ago. The reward of $50,- 000 still stands for the arrest of his slayer. A rear-end collision between two freight trains occurred at Quiver siding on the Chicago. Peoria and St. Louis Railway, • resulting in the death of Engineer Ed Moore. Both trains, were north-bound and running but a short distance apart. To clear the track for a south-bound pas­ senger, the front train ran in upon the siding. On account of the dense fog the rear train could not be signaled and it clashed into the other, running thirty-five miles an hour. About fifteen cars were destroyed. At Galesburg, Judge Thompson charg­ ed the grand jury to investigate the re­ ports of the cocking main held a month ago in Lake George park natatorium. The instruction produced a sensation in conrt and has caused dismay among the 100 sports in attendance from the city. The matter is the more serious in that the manager of the natatorium alleges that the sports broke into that building. The officers, it is said, have the names of every man there, including those from Peoria, Quincy, Princeton and other points, who had birds in the pit. The Masonic Temple, the handsomest building in Rockford, just completed at a cost of $75,000, was thrown open with a brilliant Masonic reception and ball, which was attended by hundreds of peo­ ple. John S. Ivoehler, wealthy merchant and prominent church member at Barry, con­ fessed in a card published in the local paper that he has been evading the tax collector for ten years. Preceding the announcement Mr. Koehler paid over to Collector Wike $1,322.S0, which he claims covers taxes and interest for ten years on property withheld. At Cairo, the Anchor line steamer Hill City was sold by order of the United States District Court to satisfy a claim for $10,000 held by David S. Barmore, the Madison (Ind.) ship builder. Capt. T. B. Sims of St. Louis was the purchas­ er, for $25,150. The Supreme Court emphasizes its de­ cision in the matter of the application of Harry Gundling, the Chicago druggist, for a writ of habeas corpus by denying a motion to reconsider the petition. Gund­ ling vyas arrested for selling cigarettes in Chicago contrary to the citjc ordinance and lie refused to pay his fine until the Supreme Court would hear a petition for habeas corpus. ABUNDANT KEVENUE. THE DINGLCY TARIFF WORKING OUT GOOD RESULTS. Government Receipts for January Nearly $5,000,000 in Kxcess of the Amount Produced by the Wilson Law for Corresponding' Month in 1897. Predictions Verified. Two predictions regarding the Ding- ley law revenues for the current month were made by the American Economist of Jan. 7, 1898, as fallows: For the present month the Economist confidently expects that the Wilson law figures of January, 1897, will be exceed­ ed by more than $3,OOO,0O9 in customs receipts alone, while the excess from all sources will not fall below $5,000,000 as compared with last January. Owing to the heavy demands upon the treasury in the shape of interest payments" a surplus for January is not anticipated, but it is safe to look for an actual surplus in Feb­ ruary, and March. These estimates were based upon the reasonable expectation of increased customs revenues as the .c%uhtry ap­ proached more liearly to nofnial condi­ tions as regards importations. How ac­ curately the situation was foreshadow­ ed is shown by the returns at hand fiNom official sources, which give a total revenue for January of $29,000,000." against $24,310,994 under the Wilson law in January. 1897; while the reven­ ue from customs this month has been $14,269,492, against $11.27(i.8T4 under the Wilson law in January, 1897. The excess of receipts from all sources falls but little short of $5,000,000. while" the excess of customs receipts, as compar­ ed with customs receipts under the Wilson law for the same month a year ago, is $2,992,018. The reckoning of the Economist at that time was very near the mark. The returns for the first full six months of the Dingley law, ending with January, 1898, as compared with the reeipts of the Wilson law for the corresponding months of the previous year, 'are as follows: Wilson law. Dingley law. 1890. 1897. August ..$25,502,000 $19,193,000 September 24..5S4.000 22,362,000 October 26,282,000 23,890,000 November 25,210.000 24,970,000 December 25,857,000 27,931,000 1S97. 1898. January 24,316,994 29,000,000 In ordinary circumstances the Janu­ ary receipts under the Dingley law would &ave alarge surplus, but for the month closed there have been some un­ usual expenditures, such as $12,375,000 for pensions and $5,834,000 for interest on the public debt. Disbursements for the month of February will drop back to a normal average, while with contin­ ued large importations of wool and an increase in the arrivals of foreign su­ gar and other articles to make good the inroads upon the enormous oversupply of the closing months of the Wilson law, the customs and internal revenues may be expected to show a he&l-thy and natural increase. The period of uncertainty regarding one feature of the operations of the Dingley tariff is at an end. As a pro­ ducer of revenue, the law is proving it­ self to be an unqualified success. difference of $1,441,551,204 between the respective trade balances of Great Brit­ ain and the United States in favor of; our own country. These giant, figures- tell an astonishing story--namely, that in respect of foreign trade transactions for 1897 America's advantage over tlie; United Kingdom is. in round numbers, a billion and a" half of dollars! The Man for a Crisis. Since William McKinley entered upon his duties as President of the United States there has been 110 hap­ pening of an official or a private nature that has brought the dignity of his character into such bold relief as the l>e Lome incident. In the midst of general excitement and natural outbursts of in­ dignation. with the spirit of the people stirred to the depths and manifesting itself in demands for radical action, he has maintained a dignified bearing, a self-possession and a confidence in the wisdom of his own patriotic policy that proves him the man for an emergency and the commanding figure of Ameri­ can statesmanship in a crisis. Person­ ally ignoring the scurrility of the ex- minister, he officially defended the dig­ nity of thp presidential office by a de­ mand for his recall. Not once has he shown irritation and he has been prompt without undue haste. Passion has not swayed him nor friendly im­ portunity swerved him from the path of consistent action that lie outlined for himself at tlie beginning of his presi­ dency. The discovery of the hollowness of Spain's pretenses of autonomy for Cuba and reciprocal trade relations with the United States neither shocked nor sur­ prised him. He has been fully aware of the real situation, and what were startling revelations to the public were to the President mere confirmations of previously acquired information. The public will again acquiesce in the wis­ dom of the lower house of Congress .in voting to give sole power to the Presi­ dent to deal with Cuban affairs. His policy remains unchanged, and will be pursued With fixed determination. The interests of this country will be safely guarded and upheld, and when the time shall come for the United States to make demands, the demands will be enforced. The honor and the welfare of the country are in the hands of a njan who has given the greatest evi­ dence of being their safest, wisest and ablest custodian.--Chicago Times-Her­ ald. A Round Billion and a Half! The exact trade balance of the Unit­ ed States for the year ending Dec. 31, 1897, is shown to be $357,111,204. The value of exports for that year, as shown by revised figures of the Treasury De­ partment, was $1,099,743,554, as com­ pared with $1,005,837,241 in 189(5. The imports were valued at $742,031,350, as against $681,579,556 in 1896. The ex­ ports for December last were valued at $125,08^.470, and the imports at $51,- 515,228. The exports for the month were $7,000,000 more than those of De­ cember, 1896, but the imports were less by about $7,500,000. An Instructive contrast is found upon examining' the trade returns of Great Britain for 1807. . The difference be­ tween the fiscal showing of the leading free trade nation of the world and that of the leading protection nation of the world will not escape attention. Brit­ ish imports for the year reached the highest record mark of $2,256,190,000, while the exports fell off to $1,171,750,- 000. a decrease of $28,975,000, and this leaves as the disparity between im­ ports and exports the enormous sum of $3,084,4-10,000. There is, therefore, a Knglish Cotton Industry. 4s an evidence that the condition of things in the cotton industry is, to say the least, no better in free trade ^Eng­ land than in the United States, it is interesting to note the complaint of "Textile Mercury," that in the Lanca­ shire districts, where cotton mills and weaving sheds have closed owing to bad trade, It is almost impossible for those thrown out of work to obtain em­ ployment and that in consequence many of the idle operatives are com­ pelled to apply to the parish for relief. It is objected to that these poor people should be allowed to draw from the poor fund so long as there is money in the treasuries of the trades unions, of which they are members. According to all accounts the cotton spinners and Weavers of Lancashire are in a far worse plight than are their brethren in New England. . • MISS W1LLABD DEAD. THE NOTED TEMPERANCE WORK- ER PASSES AWAY. > American Shoes. It is the uniform testimony of Amer­ icans when they return from an .ex­ tended visit abroad that they can,get heater, better and more durable siioes here than they can "in England and Germany, and for less money. The dex­ terity of the American operatives and the perfection of the American ma­ chinery are combining to bring to this country the .shoe manufacturing busi­ ness of a large part of the world.--Bur­ lington Hawkeye. Labor Is Under Disadvantages. To the extent that the protection sys­ tem does not work down South to ad­ vance the wages of labor, it fails through the conditions that are pecu­ liar to the section, and it means that lal>or is still under disadvantages. Can the South afford to encourage this state of things, manifesting as it must a civilization that is inferior to that of better paid working i>eople?--Brooklyn Standard-Union. What He Might Read. If Mr. Bryan has read the newspa­ pers he will know that since the dec­ laration for honest money and a protec­ tive tariff fully half a million of Ameri­ can workmen have been given employ­ ment; that wages have been advanced in thousands of instances, and that all interests of the country from capital to labor are rapidly recovering from the depression of the past.--Tacoma Ledger. Has Not Suffered. The American export trade does not seem to have suffered during-the past year, despite the fearful wails of Dem­ ocrats that the enactment of a protec­ tive tariff would ruin our trade abroad. --Sedalia (Mo.) Capita)!. UNCLE SAM'S PIGEON COTE. Carriers Are Being Trained for Service in Future Naval Operations. Uncle Sam has decided that carrier pigeons will be useful in naval opera­ tions in the future. A trifle over a year ago he established a cote in the Brooklyn navy yard with twelve breed­ ing pairs of the birds as an originsO force. Now there are 100 birds, sixty of which are in active training for their duties. The others are either breeding or too young to commence service. But the little fellows assume the responsi­ bilities of life at a very early age. They begin training when one mouth old. They are drilled while still too young to fly in the knack of pushing aside the wires in front of the cote cages. Until they learn this they are of little use, for unless the messenger enters the cage at once 011 arriving much valua­ ble time would be wasted<in catching him in order to capture the message. The next series of drills is intended to develop the pigeons' staying powers in the air, to strengthen their wings and to enable them to fly long distances without being overcome by exhaustion. This is done by means of a white flag attached to a long pole. By fluttering this among the birds they are startled into a circling flight about the' cote, which is kept up as long as Howard Carter, who is training the birds for active duty in the navy, thinks neces­ sary. The drill usually lasts one-half hour. For two months the birds are drilled every morning in this manner. At the end of that time they are given their first "fly." The first journey is from Governor's Island, to which they are conveyed in a closed basket by the steam launch of the Vermont. That successfully accomplished, they are next flown from Staten Island, then from the narrows, then in turn from Mono. N. J., Atlantic City and Cape May, 011 each succeeding occasion the distance being greater. Whenever flown, a message, secured in an alumi­ num holder, weighing only eight grains, is attached to each bird's leg, and is secured immediately on its arrival at the cote. The minute of starting and the minute of arriving are also closely noted, and a day book is kept by Mr. Carter containing each bird's record. The greatest speed the birds have so far attained is flfty-six miles per hour; the speed in general, however, varies from thirty to fifty. The longest flight taken was from Delaware bay May 11, when several of the birds were liberat­ ed from the battleship Texas at 6:30 a. m. and reached the navy yard, Brooklyn, at 11:28 a. m.. covering a dis­ tance of 145 miles in four hours and fifty-eight minutes. The birds have also been flown from Mono, N. J., cov­ ering the thirty-eight miles in forty- five minutes, and, from Long Branch, twenty-eight miles away, reaching the navy yard in thirty-seven minutes. They have also made nineteen flights from minor distances, not bad work for pigeons orrijf four or five months old. "There is an old woman," says a Lon­ don paper, "who has a milk stand in St. James' .Park, who has stood at it for sixty-three years. Her mother kept it before her and her grandmother before that, the latter having been in posses­ sion for seventy-two years." The forests of the United States cover one-quarter of the entire coun­ try, and over $1,000,000 of timber is cut every year. The Great W. C. T. U. Leader, After a Valiant Struggle for Life, Dies at the" Imperial Hotely New York--Her Life and Works. A Noble. Life Ended. Miss Frances E. Willard died at mid­ night Thursday at the Imperial Hotel in New York City. A fatal termination of her illness had been expected for several hours. Miss Willard had been ill forabout three weeks. Dr. Hill made the following statement Thursday night: "Miss Willard had' suffered some years With profound. ane­ mia, and on several occasions , had been given up to die. Last summer she seemed to take on a -new lease of life and 1088 gBAMCM willahd gained 111 weight and strength so that she went, through her convention work at Toronto and Buf­ falo, which was most arduous, and came out much better,than was expected, but 011 her arrival, five weeks ago. she was much prostrated and readily took the grij), which attacked the stomach, liver,, intestines and later the nervous system. The disease progressed favorably, and in many respects she had greatly improved when the fatal issue came and overwhelm­ ed the nerve centers. There was 1x0 can­ cerous degeneration,of any organ, as has been, stated." Miss Wiltard's Career. . Frances Elizabeth Willard was born Sept. 28, 1839, in Churchville, near Koch- ester, N. Y. Her parents were New Eng- landers. While she was yet a babe her parents moved to Oberlin, O., from which place, after a residence of five years, they moved to a farm near Janesville, Wis. Miss Willard lived 011 the farm for thir­ teen years. Up to her fifteenth year she had never seen the inside of a school room save for an hour or two at a time, and then only as she visited the classes of her girlhood friends. Her first schooling of which any mention is made was at the Woman's sem­ inary, founded by Catherine Beecher at Milwaukee, Wis. She spent there only one term. Afterward she entered the Northwestern Female College at Evans- ton, 111. She took the full course pre­ scribed at that institution and graduated in 1859 with high honors. Having completed her education, Miss Willard took up the occupation of a teach­ er, finding her first employment among the schools of Evanston. Later she went to Pittsburg, and there taught in a wom­ an's college. In 1867 she went to Lima, N. Y., where she was appointed precep­ tress in the Genesee Wesleyan College, a woman's institution. In 1868 Miss Willard made a tour abroad. She went to Paris and studied in the College de France. Among the celebrated men from whom she reoei instruction was Guizot, She studied also in Berlin and Itome and then visited Greece, Egypt and Palestine. I11 1871 she returned to Evanston. She was made dean of the Woman's college of Northwestern University, her alma uiater during her absence having been affiliated with Northwestern University and renamed, In the new position she was really president of her alma mater. Her Tcmperance Work. The Wopian's Christian Temperance Union had been organized, but its efforts had amounted to little so far as practical results were concerned. Miss Willard was elected corresponding secretary of the organization. ' She put into her new work all the vigor of her strong constitu­ tion. She broadened the scope of the organization, wrote letters to women aii over the country, and within a short time made the movement one of national im­ portance. Her efforts met with such suc­ cess and were so heartily commended by the members of the organization and by the public generally that she was made vice-president of JRlnAsocioty, and in 1879 was elected to thefqpjij^f of national presi dent. While secretuLcy* ion she organized movement and circi? which she obtained 200,000 names, which was presented to the Legislature qf Illi­ nois asking legislation in favor of woman and for the protection of fie home, ,a* well as for the protective ballot for wom­ en. In 1886 she became the leader of the White Cross movement, which has obtained legislative enactments for the protection of women in twelve States. She was the founder of the World's Wom­ an's Christian Temperance Union, and in 1888 became the president of the Ameri­ can branch of the international council of women. Her work for temperance took her throughout every part .of the United States and through many European coun­ tries. She visited every city in the Unit­ ed States of 10,000 inhabitants, most of those of 5,000 and hundreds of smaller population. She was an indefatigable lec­ turer, and lectured wherever she stopped long enough for such a purpose, her aid in the cause of temperance being everywhere recognized as of the utmost importance and widely sought. PRIMARY ELECTION LAW. Temperance 1111- Home Protective a petition, upon SPAIN IS SORRY. Officially Disavows Responsibility for the De Louie Letter. The De Lome note has been officially disavowed by the Spanish Government and the incident is now regarded in Wash­ ington as -closed. I11 the royal decree ac­ cepting the resignation of De Lome it is stated it leaves him "without employment, with the emoluments due him," the cus­ tomary flattering phrases being omitted. The State Department gave out an ab­ stract of a note sent by the Spanish Gov­ ernment to Minister Woodford at Madrid. Part of this abstract is here given: The Spanish ministry, in accepting the resignation of a functionary Whose ser­ viced they have been using and valuing up to that time, leaves it perfectly well es­ tablished that they do not share, and rath­ er, on the contrary, disauthorize the criti­ cisms tending to offend or censure the fhief of a friendly state, although such criticisms had been written within the field of friendship and had reached pub­ licity by artful and criminal means. As to the paragraph concerning the desirabil­ ity of negotiations of commercial relations, if even for effect, and the importance of using a representative for the purpose stated in Senor Dupuy de Lome's letter, the Government expresses concern that in the light of its conduct, long after the writing of the letter, and in view of the unanswerable testimony of simultaneous and subsequent facts, any doubt should exist that the Spanish Government has given proof of its real desire and of its innermost convictions with respect to the new*commercial system and the projected treaty of commerce. The Spanish Gov­ ernment does not now consider it neces­ sary to lay stress upon or demonstrate anew the truth and sincerity of its pur­ pose and the unstained good faith of its intentions. . . Reform Bills Passed -toy:the 'Legisla­ ture nnd Signed by Gov. Tannexv The new compulsory primary election law, passed recently by the. Legislature at Spring'.icld and to which the signature} of the Governor was promptly affixed. Went into immediate effect. It is now op­ erative in Cook County and will beepme so elsewhere when adopted by county, city, town or village. The more important provisions of the new primary law are: Any political party or organization which at the last preceding general elec­ tion polled at least1 10 per cent of the entire vote cast in the county, city, vil­ lage or incorporated town in which the election is to be held, shall be entitled to hold one primary election on any day be­ tween November and April next follow­ ing and preceding a^iy regular spring elec­ tion, and another primary election on any day between April and November next following and preceding any regular No­ vember election. Within the time limited the managing committee of the party may determine the day for holding the pri-5 mary: No two political parties shall hold their primary elections on the same day, and the first party applying shall have the preference in the choice of days'. " For the purpose Tof primary electrons not less than two and not.more than six contiguous regular^election precincts of the same ward or other political division, in as compact a fornVas practicable, shall be joined se as to form one primary elec­ tion district." Where a regular election precinct consists of an<j is- coextensive with a congressional,township, then said congressional township -shall constitute one primary election district within the meaning of this act. .. ." 'the polling place, shall be as near the center of population js practicable, but not .within 100 feet of a building wherein intoxicating liquors are sold. The central committee is to establish the boundaries of districts and designate polling places. For each primary election district each party shall, by its central committee, des- igpate from the list of regular election judges and clerks three judges and two clerks, who are members of such party to serve at the primary election. A call for a primary election must be filed with the election commissioners, or with the county clerk where there is 110 board of election commissioners, fifteen days before the date of such primary elec­ tion. Public notice of the holding of pri­ mary elections must then be given by the election commissioners or the county clerk, as the case may be. All laws respecting general elections are declared in force at primary elections, so far as the same are applicable and except as modified by this act. The expenses of conducting primary elections shall be paid by the county, city, village or incorporat­ ed towns, as the case may be. All regis­ ter books, poll books, ballots, statements, returns, ballot boxes, ballot box keys and other election paraphernalia shall be pre­ served, accounted for and returned. Every legal voter entitled to vote at the last preceding election whose name is on the general registration book of any elec­ tion precinct within tlie primary district in which he offers to vote, and who at the time he offers such vote is a resident of the primary district in which he offers to vote, shall be entitled to vote at such primary election, provided he is a member of the political party or organization liold- iug such primary election, and provided he lias not voted at the primary election of any other political party or organization within one year last preceding. None but legally qualified voters resid­ ing in the primary election district to be represented shall be eligible as delegates to any convention of such party. The polls shall be open from 6 o'clock in the forenoon until 7 in the afternoon. Provision is tben made for the challeng­ ing of votes. The method of canvassing the vote is situilar to that provided by the general election law. Several pages are then devoted to penalties for fraudulent acts on the part of voters, judges and clerks and persons who seek to interfere with the free exercise of the ballot by bribery, intimidation or Otherwise. Whenever 1,000 of the legal voters of any county, city, village or incorporated town shall petition the county judge to submit the question of the adoption of the law, it is provided that it shall be the du.ty of the county judge to submit the proposition at the next succeeding general State or county election. The proposition shall be submitted on a separate ballot. This, of course, does not apply to Cook County, where the law is already in full force | ILLINOIS LAWMAKERS Special Stamps. For the third time in the history of the nation, in recognition of the im­ portance of a brilliant enterprise, Post­ master General Gary has decided to order a series ofe special postage stamps, commemorative of the hold­ ing of the Trans-Mississippi and Inter­ national Exposition at Omaha in 1898. The stamps will be issued in denomi­ nations of one cent, two cent, fiv§ cent, ten cent, and one dollar, making it pos­ sible for the public to use these stamps on all outgoing foreign as well as do­ mestic mail matter and packets of mer­ chandise. They will bo different in color from the regular series, and In shapi> will resemble the Columbian stamp. In issuing these special stanijps it is not designed by the Postmaster General to withdraw from sale the cur­ rent series, as was the case during the World's Fair. The series of special stamps for the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition will be sup­ plied to any office in the United States, and every postmasfer will find an ac­ tive demand for tliem. They will be of marked artistic order in design. a,nd especially typical of the Greater West. The designs contemplate portraits of distinguished persons identified with the country, appropriate historical events as illustrated by existing paint­ ings or engravings. Third Assistant Postmaster General Merrltt invites suggestions of scenes for use of the stamps, it being the desire of the post- office authorities to give the Trans- Mississippi and International Exposi­ tion the handsomest set ever issued to commemorate an exposition. Senator Dwyer introduced a bill in the Senate on Friday to prevent the west park board of Chicago from collecting the - special assessments levied in 1895 for , Douglas boulevard. The same bill wa» introduced in: the FJbuse'by Major Bucfc- ner. 'Senator Dunla'p Was chosen {he chairman of the joint conference commit­ tee Friday mornjug; Representative Laub was elected secretary, ^fhd the eighteen conferees on the revenue bill hurried from the city. Some effort was made to induce the committee to get down to work, but Mr. Dwyer's motion to adjourn until Tuesday morning was adopted. The Senate came near ending the spe­ cial session Monday evening vvithbht1 the formality of sine die adjournment. Un­ der the constitution, neither1 branch of the General Assembly has a right to, adjouru over more .than two days without the con­ sent of the other. The Senate adjourned Friday morning until 5:30 Monday even­ ing. thereby using up its two days of lati­ tude. When the hour of 5:30 arrived there .was not a Senator present--no one except Secretary,Paddock to call the body to order or move to adjourn. Senator Lit­ tler was told the situation by telephone. The'evening was stormy, his dinner was almost ready for the table, but the Sena­ tor from Sangfimon hurried to the Senate chamber, called himself to order antl ad­ journed, thereby saving the session. The House had just enough jpiembevs present t:o permit Representative Anderson to'call. it to order and have it -adjourned. On Tuesday Senator Campbell of Chi­ cago introduced a bill changing the ratio qf percentages of school taxes in Cook County. , The present law provides that the 5 per cent school tax shall be divided so as to give.3 per cent for buildings and 2 per cent for educational purposes and salaries. The Campbell bill provides that 214 per cent shall be used for building pur­ poses and 2y> per cent' for educational purposes. Senator Campbell explained that it will be necessary .to raise the per­ centage devoted to educational purposes if the salaries of the teachers of Cook County were to be increased. The bill was advanced to second reading without reference to a committee. The McGinms telephone bill was amended in the House and advanced to third reading. The amendihents divide telephones into classes --those that rent for less than $50 a year, which, under the McGinnis bill, are not taxed at all; those which rent for more than $50 a year, which are taxed $10 a year, and slot machine telephones, which are taxed $25 a year. The Rowe revenue bill was advanced to third reading.-, The conference committee having the revenue bill in hand has begun work in earnest^ The metropolitan police bill, on a peti- .. tion, was reported out on Wednesday. The revenue conference committee finished its work in the afternoon, after it had re­ ceived an overhauling by a Republican joint caucus. A sub-committee, composed of Representatives Selby, Laud and Sher­ man and Senators Dunlap, Baxter and Humphrey, went immediately at work drafting the agreed bill. The House se­ cures the advantage in the conference committee bill, for the Senate committee receded from every one of the important provisions in the Senate bill which differed from the House bill except the "valua­ tion" provision. An early adjournment siiiu uit: is HOW OXpcOtfj. Gov. Tanner, backed by the Legislature, on Thursday offered the President of the United States the "moral and material support of Illinois to maintain the honor of the American flag and to prevent or punish any attempt at the invasion of our common country." He sent a message to the House and Senate suggofi:ng that the General Assembly authorize him to make such an offer to President McKinley, and the Legislature authorized the Governor to carry out his wishes in the matter. At the, close of the day's session it was an­ nounced that the conference re venue,bill was ready for voters. The metropolitan police bill was advanced to third reading in the Senate. In the Houscv the police bill-was reported out of the Committee 011 Municipalities, read the first time and advanced to second reading.- The, report of the Berry investigating committee was read and discussed at length in the Sen­ ate. The Senate passed what is known in Springfield as the "school-ma'am" bill by a vote of 34 yeas, with 110 negative votes. The Senate committee killed the Harns- berger primary election bill by reporting it out unfavorably and it was laitl on the table. In the House the "school-riia'am"' bill was received from the Senate.' • On motion of Fred A. Busse it was read a first time and ordered to second reading without reference to a committee, Twelve Hundred Years'Occupancy. To the American mind there is some­ thing fairly awe-inspiring in the thought of a house which has been ten­ anted, without a break, for 1,200 years. Yet there is such a house near St. Al­ bans, England, ami it was built in 795 l»y King Offa of Mercia. Originally erected as a fishing pavilion for the monks of the adjoining monastery of St. Albans, it is now an inn; and if ono may judge from the Immensely thick foundations of flint and Roman brick and the perfect preservation of the "l>- per part of the little house, 't may last several centuries longer. It is in a church ,of St. Albups that the great Francis Bacon, Baron of Verulam, lies burled.--Harper's, Bazar. One of the Godlike thjings « of this world is the veneration done to human worth by the hearts oi? men.--Carlyle. An Impossibility. For a man to kill himself by holding" his breath is a physical impossibility. Individuals differ greatly in the'length of time they can hold their breath, and what practice and determined effort, combined with natural great lung ca­ pacity, can do in this direction is shown by the long periods for which cham­ pion divers can. remain ufitier water. If a man succeeded in continuing to hold his breath, in spite of the physi­ cal discomfort in which he had placed himself, the result would simply be to induce a state of coma. When this state was reached, nature woul,d reas­ sert herself, and the breathing func­ tions would again resume full activity, preventing a fatal issue, in spite of their owner's desire. London Is Kapidly Growing. The growth of London Is astounding. The latest returns on the subject Show- that over twelve hundred houses are erected monthly in the metropolis. Be­ tween the mouths of August, 1896, and August, 1897, 14,591 houses were built. Foolish Fellow. He--What would you do if I were to kiss you? She--How singular! I was thinking: t h a t v e r y t h i n g . / \ t l - Yet he sat there and kept on wonder­ ing. One of the Victims. "Doubleday is a regular slave of fash­ ion." "I never noticed that he dressed par­ ticularly well." "He doesn't, but he has to work day and night to pay for his wife's clothes.'* She Thought It Was an Insinuation. "How did Harley come to quarrel, with that St. Louis girl he was so smit­ ten with?" \r "He foolishly declared that if all the world were his he'd lay it at her feet.** Greenroom Gossip. "I hear that Hamfat McFettridge took an 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' troupe tt> the Klondike and got immensely rich." "They must be hard up for amuse­ ments there if they go to such shows as that." "Oh. they didn't care for the show, but they bought the bloodhouuds at fabulous prices." • -i She Didn't Stoop to Conquer. I'd have kissed her 'ueath the mistletoev? • But was rather afraid to try; For she's fully six feet tall, you/know, Wbife I'm jast six inches shy.